Toys

News about Toys, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 5, 2015

Desktop tchotchkes without any functional use, known as 'executive toys,' are as popular as ever in digital age, despite shrinking personal workspaces and distractions offered by computers. MORE

Feb. 2, 2015

Sex toy industry is anticipating big sales with Valentine's Day premiere of Universal Pictures' Fifty Shades of Grey; movie is based on book which spurred sales of sex-themed products; some in adult entertainment industry say sex toys account for $1 billion and $2 billion in sales annually. MORE

Jan. 27, 2015

Mattel chief executive Bryan G Stockton resigns as traditional toy sales, including those of its storied Barbie brand, topple in face of tough competition, including digital products; Christopher A Sinclair is named interim chief executive; firm reports preliminary fourth-quarter profit of $149.9 million, down from $369.2 million in year-ago quarter; revenue fell 7 percent. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

GoldieBlox, toy company that makes engineering-based sets of blocks for girls, releases animated promotional video online; company hopes video will recapture success of earlier video it released in November and will help build up company from small start-up. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Jay Caspian Kang First column submits that legislation aimed at expanding laws mandating bright orange markings on replica guns will do little to prevent incidents like fatal police shooting of Tamir Rice in Cleveland; says children will continue to remove such markings, and suggests that focus on regulation serves to excise deaths of Rice and John Crawford III from the larger conversation on race and policing. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

Office of New York State Atty Gen Eric T Schneiderman warns major retailers to mind state law banning sale of realistic-looking toy guns unless they have orange stripe on barrel. MORE

Dec. 13, 2014

Lego reissues Research Institute, limited-edition set of women working in a laboratory, after supplies quickly sell out. MORE

Dec. 11, 2014

Gadgetwise column; roundup of noteworthy devices and toys from gadget makers that will keep children entertained and parents happy. MORE

Nov. 27, 2014

Farhad Manjoo State of the Art column examines rise of internet-connected toys that threaten to overrun much of the traditional mass-manufactured toy business; observes that companies like Wonder Workshop are developing toys that will acquire new capabilities over time, blend education and recreation, and most importantly reduce the amount of time children spend in front of screens. MORE

Nov. 27, 2014

Alternative, non-digital toys are in high demand this holiday season as parents attempt to ween their children from excessive time spent in front of screens; trend has given rise to a resurgence of demand for retro toys, as well as those involving building, education and arts and crafts. MORE

Nov. 22, 2014

Nintendo expands its playbook by releasing video game Super Smash Bros and collection of toy figurines that will interact with the game; move reflects company's need for new sales hit and addresses calls for it to move more aggressively into new product areas. MORE

Nov. 11, 2014

McDonald's is recalling Hello Kitty-themed whistle given to children in Happy meals after reports that two children coughed out pieces of the toy that they had sucked into their mouths. MORE

Aug. 22, 2014

Lego's new Research Institute toy set, which portrays three female scientists in their respective labs, sells out in under a month, testifying to demand for toys featuring women in a professional setting; company produced set following viral popularity of a letter from a little girl begging company to produce more realistic options for girls. MORE

Aug. 14, 2014

Ceramics artists James Klein and David Reid of KleinReid have created solid brass tops, inspired by Eameses' collection of the toys, selling for $138 each; tops can also be used as paperweights or ring stands. MORE

Aug. 11, 2014

Test batch of small stuffed toys called Tsum Tsum, already a hit in Japan, has sold out in some Disney Stores in the United States, and the company wonders if it has found the next Beanie Baby; Disney is rushing to restock and expand line to all of its stores. MORE

Jul. 27, 2014

Blockbuster success of merchandise based on Doc McStuffins cartoon seems to be setting a record as best-selling toy line based on African-American character; $500 million in sales in 2013 reflects in part nation's changing consumer demographics, with more children from minority backgrounds providing expanding, less segregated marketplace but also shows crossover appeal, as demographic for toy line is the broadest possible. MORE

Jul. 21, 2014

Hasbro plans to announce partnership with 3-D printing company Shapeways to sell fan art inspired by My Little Pony toy line; many other companies and large retailers are exploring ways they can use 3-D printing and printers to attract consumers. MORE

Jul. 19, 2014

Mattel is creating direct-to-consumer program to sell premium Wooden Railway line of Thomas products through catalogs and website; toy company hopes program will tap into passion that children and parents have for brand's characters and story. MORE

Jul. 18, 2014

Consumer Product Safety Commission issues formal child-safety recall for Buckyballs, powerfully magnetic stacking balls, following two-year battle; consumers will have a six-month window to apply for refunds; Craig Zucker, former head of manufacturer Maxfield & Oberton Holdings, will be personally liable for an estimated $57 million in recall costs. MORE

Jun. 29, 2014

Slip ’N Slide was invented by boat-seating upholsterer Robert D Carrier in summer of 1960 after he came home to find his 10-year-old-son and his friend sliding down wet concrete driveway. MORE

Jun. 2, 2014

Amazon and Mattel are teaming up to sell merchandise for cartoon Fireman Sam, potentially controversial experiment that, if successful, could create new model for marrying television shows with related merchandise. MORE

Mar. 23, 2014

Toy makers have begun marketing a more aggressive line of playthings and weaponry for girls, inspired by a succession of female warrior heroes in blockbuster movies. MORE

Feb. 6, 2014

Chinese luxury department store Lane Crawford has commissioned Squint Limited to make group of rocking horses in honor of Year of the Wood Horse; horses are available on Squint's website for $3,255. MORE

Jan. 20, 2014

Hasbro, maker of convertible toy robots known as Transformers, unveils new streamlined look for the toy line on its 30th anniversary; remake, which includes new branding and packaging, is meant to coincide with Paramount Pictures' release of movie Transformers: Age of Extinction, fourth film in franchise based on the product. MORE

Dec. 24, 2013

Many parents with children between the ages of 2 and 10 are buying them tablets, smartphones and other devices for holiday season gifts, while the toy industry stalls; retro toys, however, are resurgent, as nostalgia can be powerful tool for retailers. MORE

Dec. 22, 2013

Download interview with Debbie Sterling, founder and chief executive of GoldieBlox, toy company dedicated to encouraging girls' interest in engineering and construction; Sterling offers recommendations for books and other forms of entertainment. MORE

Dec. 12, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; Swappz Interactive creates mobile game that allows a toy to be scanned and then used as a character in the game. MORE

Dec. 5, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; Hess Corp's annual Holiday Toy Truck is a $28 flat-bed truck that hauls a bulldozer and interacts with video game app. MORE

Nov. 30, 2013

Good Housekeeping spends all year finding and reviewing toys, a process integral to the magazine’s overall business strategy. MORE

Nov. 28, 2013

Product designer Gauri Nanda discusses how she developed Toymail, miniature plastic mailboxes with animal faces that can play messages sent from phones and record children's messages. MORE

Nov. 20, 2013

The complicated Rube Goldberg machine in a viral video ad from a start-up toy company called GoldieBlox has a simple goal: to show girls that being an engineer is cool. MORE

Nov. 1, 2013

Several business and free-market legal groups have launched social media campaign to raise legal-defense money for Craig Zucker, chief executive of dissolved company Maxfield & Oberton, after federal regulators decided to hold Zucker personally responsible for recall of popular magnetic toy Buckyballs. MORE

Oct. 10, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; Big Hugs Elmo, first life-size doll from Hasbro, is for children age 18 months to 4 years; doll can sing a lullaby or pretend he is an astronaut or a rabbit, but all he really wants is a hug. MORE

Sep. 26, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; LeapFrog's new device, the LeapReader, is an electronic pen that sounds out letters and words in LeapFrog books and teaches children how to write them. MORE

Sep. 19, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; tiny Bonzart Lit toy digital camera, despite its cuteness, can help you make some compelling images. MORE

Sep. 12, 2013

Thorsten van Elten, design purveyor in London with online company called Theo, sells durable wooden toy cars based on beloved classic automobiles. MORE

Sep. 1, 2013

Claire Martin Prototype column highlights Rainbow Loom, crafts kit that makes bracelets out of rubber bands and has skyrocketed to popularity. MORE

Aug. 29, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; new toy called Battroborgs simulates boxing in the vein of the old Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots. MORE

Aug. 22, 2013

Gadgetwise blog; Lego updates its Mindstorms robotics platform with a kit that includes features like Bluetooth compatibility and a remote control app. MORE

Aug. 16, 2013

Chris Suellentrop observes that video games and toys, which used to be separate industries, are merging again; notes that trend is led by companies like Activision’s Skylanders, which combines toy figures with a virtual world, and Disney Infinity, which offers similar blend of toys and video games. MORE

Aug. 4, 2013

Super Soaker, water gun engineered to spray water dozens of feet, was invented by National Aeronautics and Space Administration engineer Lonnie Johnson in 1989. MORE

Jul. 11, 2013

Dror Benshetrit, designer of Peacock chair from Cappellini, has created QuaDror system of children's blocks, available at Module R in Brooklyn. MORE

Jun. 23, 2013

Neighborhood Joint column on Pilotage Fun and Hobby, Midtown Manhattan toy shop that sells remote control versions of nearly every form of miniature transportation. MORE

Jun. 9, 2013

Melissa & Doug toy company has thrived by sticking to basics, despite industry trend of increasingly turning to high-tech gadgetry and movie tie-ins; Doug and Melissa Bernstein do little public relations, almost no advertising and produce steady stream of variations on classic toys mostly for children up to age 5; 2013 revenue is estimated $325 million from $100 million in 2008, with 650 employees. MORE

May. 23, 2013

Caroline Dupuis, dollhouse builder in McKinney, Tex, has created miniature reproduction of Victorian-style cottage in Catskills featured in New York Times Home section in 2010; Dupuis markets reproduction through her business Cinderella Moments. MORE

May. 1, 2013

Toy companies are offering their very youngest customers motion-sensing, app-infused toys like the Fisher-Price Apptivity Gym. MORE

Apr. 21, 2013

Hot Wheels cars were invented by Mattel designer Larry Wood in 1969; these miniature customized muscle car toys, which became hugely popular among boys, are now high-priced collector's item today. MORE

February 5, 2015, Thursday

The sex toy industry is banking on the hope that “Fifty Shades of Grey” will generate soaring sales, much the way the blockbuster erotic novel created thousands of new customers from the readers who passed the book around.